Sunday, 7 November 2010

On examining the photographs of the collapse and comparing these with those on pompeiiinpictures, we would like to make these observations.

Sen. Bondi says some of the frescoes may have been preserved, but the damage is worse than the WWII bombing which, according to Garcia y Garcia in Danni di Guerra a Pompei (one of our favourite Pompeii books), demolished the west perimeter wall and his pictures show the front pilasters of III.3.6 still reasonably intact. We hope Sen. Bondi is correct.

The side wall of III.4.1 on the opposite side of the Vicolo di Ifigenia has also been taken out by the collapse of III.3.6. The new iron railings of III.4.1 have been mangled at that end including the POMPEIIVIVA logo.It looks as if the south end of the niche of III.4.1 been lost too.

The pilaster paintings of Venus Anadyomene and of Bacchus and Mercury from the entrance façade of II.1.12 Complesso dei Riti magici, which were stored here "for safety", are at best under the rubble and, being only very thin, looked fragile enough to have probably been destroyed also.

Two walls at the rear of the insulae next to the unexcavated areas have now collapsed "following heavy rain". The photos of this latest collapse also show the difference in height of the unexcavated area to the north of the Via dell'Abbondanza and it is clear that any rain on the upper areas has only one way to go.

Is it now time the entire insulae on the north side of the Via dell'Abbondanza were excavated back to another street, and a drainage solution incorporated to safeguard from any further collapses?